CEUTA, Spain – One month after the mass entry of migrants into Ceuta, the image of thousands of people crossing the Tarajal breakwater on foot, swimming, or using floaters has faded, but the migration crisis that erupted on July 30 and 31 remains latent today. The focus, however, has shifted from the border with Morocco to the autonomous city itself, which is overwhelmed and weary after finding that the solution to an unprecedented emergency is advancing in fits and starts at a much slower pace than expected. The sense of insecurity and abandonment is growing among part of the population, with residents demanding a return to normality after weeks marked by street disturbances, shifting figures, conflicting versions, and a climate of tension and social unrest that continues to intensify.
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More than 70,000 people crossed from Morocco in a matter of hours, and although the government claimed that between 90 and 95 percent returned to the neighbouring country in the following two days, thousands of migrants still remain in the autonomous city. The government estimated on Friday that 5,000 migrants remain in Ceuta, of whom 1,500 are minors, although police sources place the figure at between 8,000 and 10,000. Regardless of the exact number, one month after the events, no comprehensive solution has been found for all of them, with the first two reception spaces only activated last week at Loma Margarita and Loma Colmenar, though their capacity proved insufficient, with dozens of people immediately gathering at the gates of these facilities seeking a place.
The lack of proper accommodation has led to the establishment of improvised camps, such as on El Trampolín beach and other settlements in the city’s poorest neighbourhoods, where thousands of people have been wandering the streets for weeks without sufficient assistance, as neighbourhood associations have been warning. This has only heightened tension among residents who are demanding a return to normalcy, with the president of Ceuta stating on Friday that “the city has ceased to be what it was before July 30” after suffering the most difficult ordeal in the history of a city of just 85,000 inhabitants. The main problem since the start of the crisis has been the gap between the urgency perceived by the population and the time required by administrations, as while residents demand immediate measures, identification, affiliation, triage, and eventual return procedures cannot be resolved overnight.
This frustration is increasing the pressure on a pressure cooker that is increasingly showing signs of being about to explode. On Thursday, hundreds of Ceuta residents blocked access to a Red Cross truck for more than two hours that was distributing food to migrants on El Trampolín beach, where some tents were even burned. Health management has also not been immediate, although the Ministry of Health has dismissed the possibility of a public health emergency from the start, the detection of cases of scabies, tuberculosis, chickenpox, and other infectious diseases raised alarms. The minister and regional governments agreed to donate 45,000 vaccine doses to Ceuta to prevent disease transmission, both to the unvaccinated Ceuta population and to migrants.
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The person in charge of the unified command in Ceuta acknowledged in Congress that he would not deceive by saying they could be returned tomorrow knowing it was false, while calling for calm and collaboration from all authorities, including the opposition, to reduce tension and prevent conflict and violence from escalating. The migration crisis has ultimately ceased to be a border emergency and has become a crisis of coexistence, with the social fabric of the city under strain as residents and migrants navigate an increasingly volatile and uncertain situation. The coming days and weeks will be critical in determining whether the situation can be stabilised or whether further unrest will follow.
